Cook Islands too trusting over cyber security issues

The announcement that New Zealand has blocked Huawei from participating in the proposed 5G network because of national security concerns is not unexpected.

After all, Australia has already announced they are blocking the company for the same reason.

Both these countries have security experts that consider such matters - whereas we have no such equivalent service.

Instead, we locals tend to be trusting and naive in our dealings with everyone. That is a beautiful trait to have as a country that is known as a lovely holiday destination. But it’s not how most of the rest of the world operates.

We are not in the position of Papua New Guinea, where they felt obligated to proceed with their system despite security concerns raised. Perhaps they did not wish to jeopardise the aid that President Xi Jinping promised at the recent APEC meeting held in PNG.

According to multiple news items on the subject, the proposed 5G network has total connectivity..and access to one part potentially allows access to any other part of the system. That connectivity is what makes it susceptible to cyber security breaches.

In my view, it is amazing that such an open system was developed - it's almost as though it was designed to enable cyber espionage (until they realised that the tables could be turned).

Whatever the case, the Bluesky country manager is surely mistaken - or naïve, to state that it will not affect the 5G Radio Access network. Of course, it must - it even states it in the name: Radio Access network.

Bluesky please take note of the advice of the experts in national security matters and act accordingly.